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There's no doubt about it: next to chic touring bikes, step-through e-bikes look pretty staid. However, what they have over other types of bike with their wave frame is their wide range of uses. With their low step-through or step-through entry, they are suitable for women and men of all ages and people with restricted mobility. At the same time, they are almost universally usable - apart from long tours and for heavy transport. Depending on the equipment, they can handle a trip to the bakery as well as a short trip to the lake. No wonder these multifunctional bikes are so popular.
Due to the wide target group, safe handling is a must for step-through bikes. Earlier generations had problems with this - they tended to flutter, especially when loaded with luggage racks or when ridden hands-free.
Problem of handlebar flutter: High use of material for more stiffness in e-bike step-through models
In order to achieve a stable frame composite despite the lack of a top tube, today's designers install reinforcements, especially in the bottom bracket area. They design the central frame tube to be quite voluminous and attach it to the head tube as flat as possible. The integration of the battery into the frame requires volume anyway - it is also helpful in terms of riding dynamics. However, e-bikes with a wave frame are therefore comparatively heavy. And despite the high use of materials - the pedelecs in our test weigh an average of 28 kilos - and consistently high stiffness values, three of the five step-through bikes in the riding test showed weaknesses in riding stability. On the Bergamont E-Horizon, the Cannondale Adventure and the Qwic i MN7+, handlebar flutter can be provoked as soon as there is any significant additional weight on the rack. Even if the phenomenon does not occur with only a small load on the carrier or with your hands on the handlebars, the unstable riding behaviour poses an accident risk in extreme cases. We have therefore downgraded the riding safety rating of the three pedelecs.
In terms of price, the five test bikes are very close to each other, so there are no major differences in the quality of the equipment. There is a little more variation when it comes to the motors: Only three of the five step-through e-bikes are equipped with Bosch motors. The frame nodes from Bergamont, Cannondale and KTM are equipped with proven Bosch drives. The heavy Liv Allure, on the other hand, is motorised with a Giant SyncDrive Core. The Giant drive comes from Yamaha and can easily compete with the established top dogs from Bosch and Shimano in terms of running characteristics and performance data. The Bafang mid-motor in the Qwic is made in China. It also impresses with its high torque and decent performance.
The low step-through e-bike in the test
- BERGAMONT E-Horizon Edition Wave
- CANNONDALE Adventure Neo 2 EQ
- KTM Macina City A510
- LIV Allure E+ RT
- QWIC Premium i MN7+ Belt
Switch and control
Most of the differences in detail are more a matter of taste than a decisive factor. For example, Cannondale and Bergamont are equipped with the reduced Bosch-Purion instrument cluster. Its integrated display is significantly smaller than that of the Bosch Intuvia on the KTM, and the buttons on the instrument panel are not as easy to operate. On the Cannondale, we would also have liked a slightly higher quality derailleur: the nine-speed Alivio derailleur is mainly found on cheaper bikes. If you don't want to worry too much about maintaining your gears, you should opt for one of the three step-through e-bikes with a Nexus gear hub. Especially in combination with a Gates carbon belt instead of a chain - as on the Qwic - the drivetrain is virtually maintenance-free. The hydraulic disc brakes and lighting systems of our test bikes come from tried and tested assemblies, are of good quality and correspond to the price level of the pedelecs. Sturdy pannier racks suitable for panniers can be found on all bikes, as well as stable rear stands. One outlier: Bergamont relies on a single-leg centre stand, which makes it difficult to park the bike safely with heavy panniers on the rack.
The e-bikes with low entry in detail
Manufacturers continue to neglect riding comfort. This is surprising, as riders of step-through e-bikes in particular are likely to attach great importance to comfort. The fact that none of the test bikes achieved a very good grade here is mainly due to the suspension forks fitted. They can only be adjusted to the system weight within narrow limits and are not very sensitive to disturbances from the ground. Unfortunately, you have to spend a lot more money for good shock material these days.
"Apart from the fluttering problems of some bikes, there is hardly any reason to criticise. The pedelecs are solidly made and - in line with the price level - well equipped." Uli Frieß, test editor
You can download the complete comparison test of step-through e-bikes from MYBIKE 3/2022, including all individual evaluations, as a PDF for a fee.
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